About Pacifica

Mission

Pacifica Institute’s mission is to develop social capital—the creation and extension of positive connections within and between disparate social networks to achieve mutual understanding and common commitments to enriching the social good in the Western US States.

Vision

Pacifica Institute seeks to accomplish its vision by engaging in a variety of civic activities and inviting others to generate and share insights, thereby removing barriers to confidence-building and trust. This sharing of insights and understanding can then create real opportunities for mutual respect and appreciation, offering an environment in which a shared narrative can be rooted.

Background

Pacifica Institute was founded as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by a group of dedicated volunteers in San Fernando Valley in 2003. Idea was to do good for the community they live in. Pacifica receives donations and is supported by business people and professionals, and efficiently achieves a high level of output due to the support of committed volunteers.

Pacifica Institute incorporated as the Global Cultural Connections and has its inspiration embedded in its name. First, “Pacifica” in Latin is the female agent of peace making, which is an important aspect of our vision. Female agent also evoke the caring and compassionate nature of women. And secondly, Pacifica serving the West Coast states fortunate enough to be bordering the beautiful Pacific Ocean or their neighbors.

Pacifica Institute strives for social justice, interfaith cooperation, advocacy through positive change and connections, relationship-building and partnership for the common good, and respecting both religious and non religious identities through its wide range of activities like Social Responsibility Projects, Festivals, Panels, Conferences, Talks, Civic Engagement Projects, Annual Dialogue and Award Ceremonies, Ramadan Iftar Dinners and Intercultural Trips and Study Abroad Programs.

In all these activities, Pacifica Institute aligns with the ideas of the transnational social movement called Hizmet, which means “service” in Turkish. The movement finds its meaning in the principle that service to humanity – regardless of one’s faith, tradition, gender, or ethnicity. The Hizmet Movement is active in almost all the countries around the world and works diligently in the areas of education, and interfaith dialogue, and aid organization.

One of the signature events of Pacifica Institute is called Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival Since 2009, the Institute has coordinated another project which garnered widespread support in California. This is the Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival that has been bringing people of different backgrounds together to enjoy the diversity in history and culture through a festive manner showcasing a replica of east in the west . The Specific emphasis of this festival is to strengthen the community, build bridges, and to embrace people without regard to race, religion ethnicity, or faith, which has always been at the core of the Institute. For more info please visit the exclusive website of the festival here

Small but deeply rooted in high human values, the activities induced the idea of spreading the word to the ones who would share the same inspiration in the west coast. Now, Pacifica Institute is putting diligent efforts to be as active as possible in every pacific west state with branches in six of them and partnerships in Colorado and Arizona.